Joey Bart's game-winning hit in 13th inning gives Pirates walk-off victory over Cardinals

Joey Bart had a full count with the bases loaded, so the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher could have taken his chances by not swinging the bat in an attempt to draw a walk.

Instead, Bart swung for the fences.

Bart hit a deep fly ball to left field for a single to drive in the game-winning run in the 13th inning and lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 walk-off victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday afternoon before 8,430 at PNC Park.

Raise the Jolly Roger ????‍☠️

Joey Bart wins it for the @Pirates in the 13th inning! pic.twitter.com/dRXYu0Ba0L

— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2025

The Pirates (5-8) won the three-game series, 2-1.

Alexander Canario and Bryan Reynolds started the 13th by drawing back-to-back walks against Chris Roycoft to load the bases. But Andrew McCutchen grounded to shortstop Masyn Winn, who threw home to force out automatic runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa for the first out. Then Bart worked a full count before delivering the game-winning hit.

In the 12th, Cardinals automatic runner Willson Contreras advanced to third on a balk by lefty Ryan Borucki, who intentionally walked Nolan Arenado to put runners on the corners. The Pirates brought in righty Justin Lawrence to face pinch hitter Jordan Walker, who singled to right to score Contreras for a 1-0 lead.

The Pirates tied it in the bottom of the 12th when Tommy Pham hit a two-out single to left to score automatic runner Ke’Bryan Hayes from third.

Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller was sharp in his first start since allowing seven runs on eight hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings in a 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees last Friday in the home opener.

Keller allowed three hits through seven innings, including a six-pitch fourth. When Victor Scott II hit a two-out single in the second, Keller got Thomas Saggese looking at a called third strike on a fastball outside. After Alec Burleson doubled to the right field corner in the seventh, Keller got Pedro Pages swinging at a sweeper low and away to record his 700th career strikeout.

Per Elias Sports Bureau, Keller became the fastest pitcher in club history to reach 700 strikeouts, based on innings pitched (718 1/3), breaking Bob Veale’s mark in 740 innings. Only Gerrit Cole (123) and Veale (135) reached the milestone in fewer games than Keller (136).

Cardinals starter Erick Fedde kept the Pirates hitless through six innings, though he gave up four full-count walks against two strikeouts. The Pirates had runners on base in five of his six innings, but Fedde twice got groundouts for double plays.

The no-hitter nearly ended when Tsung-Che Cheng — making his major league debut — reached on a bouncer to third base, but it was scored an error on 10-time Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado.

Cheng stole second base on Jack Suwinski’s strikeout but the Cardinals challenged the call and it was reversed. Fedde finished his outing by striking out Reynolds to end the sixth.

Phil Maton relieved Fedde in the seventh and struck out McCutchen before hitting Bart with a pitch. Endy Rodriguez broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out single to right off Maton to put the Pirates in scoring position for the first time, but Adam Frazier lined out to first base to end the inning.

Keller struck out Scott to start the eighth but was pulled after giving up a single to Thomas Saggese and a four-pitch walk to Winn. The Pirates turned to lefty Caleb Ferguson, who got Lars Nootbaar to fly out to center. That was followed by one of the crazier plays at home plate.

Willson Contreras hit a high pop fly that saw Rodriguez run in from first base to try to catch it only to collide with Bart, the catcher. The ball dropped in fair territory, but third baseman Hayes picked it up and tagged Saggese before he could touch the plate for the final out.

Pirates still get the out after a MASSIVE collision between Endy Rodriguez and Joey Bart pic.twitter.com/Cc8QodFRII

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 9, 2025

The game went into extra innings and the Cardinals nearly scored in the top of the 10th, when Pagres hit a leadoff single to shallow left field but Tommy Pham’s throw to home plate reached Bart before automatic runner Michael Siani, who was tagged out.

In the bottom of the 10th, Frazier moved automatic runner Rodriguez to third with a ground out and Pham was intentionally walked. But Kiner-Falefa popped up to second and pinch hitter Canario flied out to left.

The Pirates threatened again in the 11th, when Bart singled to right field but automatic runner Canario was thrown out at home by Nootbaar. With runners on second and third, Hayes grounded out to short to end the inning.